Hemp seed

Project manager: Kjell Martinsson, Department of Agricultural Research for Northern Sweden, SLU

The objective of this project is to investigate the protein value and fatty acid composition of organically grown hemp seed (Finola, Fin-314).

The possibility of ruminants and other farm animals increasing their use of locally produced protein feeds, e.g. protein from hemp seed, and the way in which the essential fatty acids in hemp might be used most efficiently in organic feeding need to be further investigated. Consequently a first step should be to estimate the protein quality and fatty acid composition of hemp seed.  

Hemp seed for chemical analysis will be collected from ongoing crop production experiments. The hemp seed will be harvested after 100 days of growth.  At harvest, appropriate amounts of seed material will be collected for further analysis.  Hemp oil will be produced from the seed by cold pressure. The remaining hemp cake will be analysed separately.

Increased feeding of organically grown hemp seed will result in increased use of locally produced feeds and more healthy products (milk and meat). The overall result of the project should be improved protein/fat-utilisation in organic animal production.